You didn't say how you were able to install the bootloader.I install it via the the IDE, Tools:Burn Bootloader. This ensures that the fuses are all set correctly for 16 MHz crytsal operation.I download sketches after that.If the fuses are not set correctly, the data rate for serial downloads will be mismatched and the download will not work.

I selected the Mighty 1284p, 16MHz using Optiboot as board and Arduino as ISP as programmer.

This is wrong for downloading general sketches, it's only used to download the ISP sketch into the 1284P to use it to program other chips.

Secondly, as Bob asked, how did you burn the bootloader into the 1284P chip in the first place? Are you sure that went correctly?

Thirdly, your FTDI cable looks like a knockoff of the FTDI friend. It may or may not "in fact" be using DTR, rather than RTS. If it's actually using RTS you need to go to theControl Panel device manager for the COMPORT and select "set RTS on close".

Fourthly, it looks like in your 2.8MB picture you have TX and RX wired wrong. The TX and RX labels on the FTDI Friend and regular FTDI cables specify the signal flow withrespect to the cable, not the Arduino. So, the wires have to be swapped between the2 devices. BTW, I always insert 1K series-Rs in the RX,TX lines in case I hook themup backwards.

The other thing is I use the FTDI Friend and FTDI cables most of the time, and have never tied CTS to anything.

php-freak

I changed the setting in the device manager, just in case to test it. I used this tutorial: http://www.gammon.com.au/forum/?id=11637 and the Serial Monitor said that it was successful. That do I have to choose to download a general sketch?

Yes it is a cheap FTDI version, on the ebay page they said it uses DTR. Thanks for the information that I have to swap TX and RX. Is connection via the cap to the reset pin right for DTR?

I use an Atmel AVR ISP MKii. I use the IDE to burn the bootloader first to make the fuses are set correctly.The times I forgot to that, I spend a frustrating 1/2 figuring what is going on, eventually figuring out the clock is really slow, and then finally remembering to do the bootloader for the fuses. Getting better about that.

I then use File: Upload Using Programmer with the MKii if I don't need the bootloader, or I connect up an FTDI Basic for downloading sketch via serial interface.

I don't use the Optiboot 16 MHz tho, I always use Bobuino so Serial is at D0/D1, SPI is D10-11-12-13, and I2C is A4/A5 of D18/D19, just like on a '328 board. I like a little consistency.

I don't use the Optiboot 16 MHz tho, I always use Bobuino so Serial is at D0/D1, SPI is D10-11-12-13, and I2C is A4/A5 of D18/D19, just like on a '328 board. I like a little consistency.

The version of bootloader you use shouldn't be effected by the unique pins_arduino.h file you set up to support your Bobuino board. However the entries for the Bobuino entry in the boards.txt file do have to reflect which 1284 bootloader you use, the normal one, or the Optiboot one, as that is where the fuse definitions and top of memory size values are, and they have to match the bootloader you are going to use. It's all pretty interdependent and lots of room to get it wrong. I struggled getting my 644P chip setup correctly and even had to revert to using the bootloader and boards.txt entry for a 644P from my old version 11 Sanguino files, but it all worked out in the end. Still waiting for the 1284P chip to arrive.

php-freak

For a general sketch, you just go to your sketchbook or the IDE "File > Examples", and choose something other than ArduinoISP.

I have an simple test sketch with serial data to check that it is working so i dont use a special one I just choose the Optiboot 16MHz as board. I set up the µC how it was mention in the tutorial, upload the optiboot code to the arduino and finally use the serial console to send the command to the arduino uno to burn the bootloader. it returns that this was successful.

Hello.I had this problem one year ago . The solution for me was to reset UC manually (connect rst & gnd for about 3 seconds) when IDE completes compiling and starts uploading . Sorry for my bad English.